Crays Hill Primary School

About Crays Hill Primary School

Crays Hill Primary School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across both its most recent inspections, including the full graded inspection in September 2022. The school’s academic story, however, is best told through its Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year. Just 10% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, a figure that sits well below the Essex local authority average of 62%. In individual subjects, a third of pupils reached the expected level in reading, while only 17% did so in maths and 10% in writing. No pupils achieved the higher standard in any of the three subjects. The school’s average maths scaled score was 95, and its reading average was 101. These outcomes place Crays Hill in the bottom percentile nationally and last within the Basildon local authority ranking.

The school’s Ofsted report from 2022 gives a more rounded picture, noting that behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management are all rated Good. The early years provision is also Good. With just 75 pupils on roll against a capacity of 105, the school is not full, though it was oversubscribed for Reception places in 2025/26, receiving two applications for its single place. A striking feature of the school’s intake is that 90.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure that far exceeds the national average and points to a community with significant economic challenges. The school offers a range of facilities including a dining hall, gymnasium, art studios, music rooms and a chapel, plus sports such as football, netball and athletics, and clubs including choir, drama and eco club.

Crays Hill has a broad SEND offer, with provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disability, and other difficulties. This suggests a school well-equipped to support children with additional needs. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, 2.9 km away. For families considering Crays Hill, the data paints a picture of a small, Good-rated village school serving a high-needs community, where academic outcomes are currently very low compared with local and national benchmarks. It may suit parents who prioritise a supportive, small-scale environment and strong pastoral care over headline exam results, and who value the range of extracurricular activities on offer despite the school’s modest size.

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